Mom acquired her kitchen skills from her mother, who made everything from scratch. She, too, was considered an excellent cook, so it was only a matter of time before Mom followed in her footsteps.
Our family has grown with the addition of two sons-in-law and four grandsons, but my mom insists on handling the cooking when we gather for dinner. And she still never takes the easy way out…the grandkids love her applesauce and macaroni and cheese, both made from scratch.
My sister lives in Hawaii and I'm an active-duty Air Force nurse in Alaska, so we only get together once a year.
In the meantime, I try to keep up Mom's tradition of trying something new. It keeps the dinners I prepare for my husband, Dave, and sons, Victor and Douglas, fresh and fun. Of course, I rely on Mom's tried-and-true recipes, too.
Though my duty assignments often take me far from home, it's a comfort to have that little taste of home every time I make one of her recipes. I hope you'll find them deliciously comforting, too.